Christobel Kickoff Town Meeting Q&A

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Closed Title:When will the office be open at the library?

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The target date is the week of August 9, 2021.

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Closed Title:Will the homeowner have to pay for removal of old septic tank and drain field?

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As part of the project, the septic tank will be abandoned in place (tank is punctured to remove contents and then filled with clean sand).

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Closed Title:If someone owns six (6) properties, do they get six (6) votes toward the 70% threshold?

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Yes. As long as each property has a different real estate number on the property appraiser’s website.

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Closed Title:How long will we be without sewer service?

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Just a few hours as abandoning the septic tank and connecting to the new JEA sewer line happen in one day.

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Closed Title:Will ditches be closed in?

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Ditches are designed to drain in different ways. If it has a swale, it will remain.

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Closed Title:When will construction start?

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Once the 70% threshold is met, we can begin design, followed by construction (likely 2-3 years with connections taking place in 4-5 years).

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Closed Title:. Most homes are on concrete slabs. Will the slabs have to be cut?

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We will connect wherever the pipe comes out of the home currently.

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Closed Title:Why is 45th Street not included?

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This street is not in the priority area determined by the Department of Health and COJ.

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Closed Title:Above ground tank vs. below ground tank?

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We will abandon in place. If there is a tank above ground, it will remain unless the property owner chooses to pay to have it removed.

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Closed Title:What happens to the septic tank and raised drain fields?

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COJ and JEA will not be removing any of the drain fields (whether raised or in-ground) as part of this project. Most of the drain fields in our project areas are raised and leaving them in place should not create any issues. The septic tank will be abandoned by pumping out the solids, punching holes in the bottom of the tank and filling with clean sand per Duval County Health Department (DCHD) recommendations.

The property owner can choose to have the drain field and/or septic tank removed at their own expense. Again, leaving them in place should not be an issue unless for example someone wanted to install a pool or add an extension to their home in that location.

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Closed Title:Why would we have any issues reaching the 100% participation goal? I live in a house with a septic tank and it would be so nice not to have to worry about septic tank.

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Septic tanks are not “bad” and they do have their use. It’s when there are septic tanks in areas that have a dense population of houses that are close together, near waterways, and in areas where the soil is dense and doesn’t drain very well. These are the areas we are targeting.

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Closed Title:Will drainage be added as part of this project? Flooding is a huge issue and something needs to be done about the drainage before water and sewer is installed.

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Drainage improvements have not been factored into the budget for the water and sewer expansion project. However, we realize there are areas within the project boundaries where drainage is a concern. We will do our best to address those areas and improve drainage where we can, but need to find the funds.

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Closed Title:Cleaning the ditches does not help drainage near my house because the ditches and inverts are lower than the pipe. What else can be done?

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Public Works will get her address and look into the concern. We will not be reconstructing entire drainage system but will attempt to correct some problem areas. We need to find the funds to address those issues.

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Closed Title:Will construction go block by block?

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We do not dictate means and methods to our contractor. We do prefer they work no more than 2-3 streets at a time, keep the construction area drivable, not block driveways for an extended period of time and clean up the work area each day. With that being said, as with any large scale construction project, it will be disruptive and inconvenient for a while. There may be times during the more complex work that the road is not passable and driveways are blocked. JEA Project Outreach will let residents know in advance of these disruptions so they can plan for these inconveniences. It will be messy for a while, but the end result will be great.

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Closed Title:Will I have to pay the $21.15 readiness to serve fee if I choose not to connect?

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Yes. Once we receive 70% participation and move forward with the project, the readiness to serve fee will be billed to anyone that chooses not to connect to the water and sewer system. COJ and JEA are investing millions of dollars in infrastructure for the community. In turn, homeowners have the ability to connect to those systems at no cost and those that do not connect will be billed the fee.

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Closed Title:How will you collapse an above ground drain field?

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We will not collapse. The mound will stay in place. If the actual septic tank is above ground, we will have to follow Duval County Health Department guidelines as to whether it is removed or not. This will be specific to each property.

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Closed Title:How can we keep up with the progress of the program?

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This page will have the most updated information regarding this project.

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Closed Title:What goes into the sewer line?

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Anything that goes down a drain. Toilets, dishwashers, clothes washer, bath tub, sink, etc.

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Closed Title:What do you anticipate a family of 3 being charged monthly for water and sewer?

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That depends solely on consumption once your home has been connected to the water and sewer system. The purpose of this project is to improve the quality of life in your neighborhood and we want this to be a positive experience for the community. JEA will offer to perform an audit in your home where we show you ways to lower your consumption (which in turn will lower your bill).